An online resource for legal professionals, continuing legal education courses, law schools, students and others dedicated to protecting the rights of people with developmental disabilities.

Human Trafficking of People with Disabilities

On April 4, 2017, the Diversity Committee, Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, University of Minnesota Law School Division, hosted a CLE event, a panel discussion of human trafficking of people with disabilities. United States District Court Judge Donovan Frank served as moderator for panel members who shared their professional experience with human trafficking, some of the history and evolving legal landscape, and rights and remedies for victims.

One of the panel members was Sarah Bessell, staff attorney at the Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center in Washington, DC. The Legal Center believes that every trafficking victim in the United States should have access to justice.

The Fight for Civil Rights for People with Disabilities

“The Fight for Civil Rights for People with Disabilities” is a compilation of the “Moments in Disability History,” now presented as a free Webinar. This one hour presentation is an accounting of the key events and influential leaders who pursued the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Here also are the many personal stories of discrimination, and reflections on the lives of individuals with disabilities who experienced only isolation and segregation but who also envisioned an inclusive society that would recognize them as fully capable and productive first class citizens.

The Webinar can be used by anyone – students, professionals, law schools, and CLE instructors as well as self advocates and family members. There is no need to review the entire Webinar in a single sitting; you can review sections as time permits.

Note: Flash player required to view this presentation. Moblle users can access the presentation after installing the PresenterMobile app. A link to the app can be found on the presentation page.

One in five people in the United States is living with some type of physical, intellectual, developmental or psychiatric disability. As a result, people with disabilities constitute one of the largest minority groups in the United States. However, history proves that there is no strength in numbers, at least where disability justice is concerned. The 2010 U.S. Census found that more than 57 million people live with disabilities.

The Disability Justice Resource Center has been created to help members of the legal community better understand the unique and complex issues related to justice for people with disabilities, particularly people with developmental disabilities. It also is designed to help the legal community identify and eliminate biases against people with disabilities.

The Video Index covers a range of topics from an historical perspective, to continuing issues regarding segregation and discrimination, to discussions about courtroom access and accommodations. The themes of equal justice, and human and legal rights are interwoven throughout, and reflect the personal experiences of self advocates as well as members of the legal profession.

Acknowledgements

This resource was funded through a “cy pres” fund dedicated to the development of resources to help the legal profession better understand issues surrounding justice for people with developmental disabilities. The fund was established as part of settlement of the Jensen class action suit, which resulted in dramatic changes to the use of restraints and seclusion in facilities operated by the state of Minnesota. The site reflects the collaborative efforts of many organizations, including TPT, the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities and more than a dozen faculty members who shared their expertise and experiences to help other legal professionals understand issues related to disability justice.

Special thanks to Becky Thorson, a partner at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, who has spearheaded efforts to provide CLEs on the topic of disability justice since 2009 and Margaret Endres, Professor Elizabeth Schiltz, and Julie Cayemberg who worked with Colleen Wieck to create this disability justice resource site. Click here to meet the faculty.

Dedication

This resource is dedicated to the memory of P. Kenneth Kohnstamm, a tireless defender of the rights of people with disabilities. Ken was a vigorous champion of underserved populations during his 40-year career with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General.

Disclaimer: The language used to describe people with developmental disabilities has changed over time. Many terms and language that are now considered disrespectful and offensive were once considered acceptable.
As people with developmental disabilities have begun to advocate for the use of “people first” language and more respectful words to describe people with disabilities in spoken and written language, terms such as “retarded,” “handicapped,” “trainable,” and “educable” have been replaced in many laws documents.
However, the remnants of what is now considered unacceptable language and terms may still be found in references to official governmental bodies (i.e. President’s Panel on Mental Retardation), organizations that were founded during these earlier years, federal laws, reports (i.e. Community Residences for Mentally Retarded Persons), case law, and quotations. These terms are used from time to time in this website, for historical accuracy.